My friend and fellow troop supporter “Maddog” gave me a heads up on a Warrior who posted that his Troops are in dire need of a morale boost. They’re not too far from re-deploying (going home, in civilian speak), but they’ve been through a lot and they’ve really been down. Being a good leader, Sgt. Braswell is very concerned about his Soldiers. Their cut-off date for people to send packages was Sept. 1, but there’s time yet for “letter mail” to get to them before their mail service is cut off.
In his profile update, he has listed 8 males and 2 females in his charge. So I doubled that number to send Guardian Angel cards to his group, since usually the contacts only count the number of troops that don’t get mail on a regular basis, and EVERYBODY deserves an Angel of their own. I put four cards in the mail to Sgt. Braswell, each one with five Angels in it. I sent one of my “Chicken Up On You” cards, one of my Bluebird cards (The front has a big blue bird on it, with “Hi, Sgt. Braswell and Troops! I am the blue bird of…” then on the inside it says “Well, I’m not sure what I’m the blue bird of, but you’d better watch your head!”), one of my “Two Important Things” cards, and one of my “Just flying through to say Thank You to an American Hero” cards.
From the update he posted, I got the idea that he and his Soldiers are not feeling the love of a grateful nation, and that’s just not allowed to happen on my watch. I know that the unit they are with has suffered some heavy losses, and that likely has a lot to do with the major drop in morale. He also mentioned they had not received any mail at all in 10 days, and he didn’t know if it was because nobody was sending anything or if it was because whoever is in charge of their mail decided not to deliver until there was a large amount of mail built up. All I know for sure is this ~ If my cards make even one of them smile, I’ll feel better about this group. God love ‘em, they just want to go home after their year in hell, and in the meantime, they need to know that they have not been forgotten.
September 3rd, 2009 - 2:19 pm
Thank you Tracy, for your kind words to and about these young Warriors. Did you know you cannot “overnigt” nor “priority mail” any USPS letter or parcel to an APO/FPO address (I know it’s just overnight to New York for me, but come on – just overnight it to New York!!)? I sent a letter to Sgt. Braswell today, snail mail, with telephone numbers and my email addy. Hope I also included the email in the parcel I sent to him and his 1.5 days before the Sept. 01 cutoff. I intend to send cards and letters until they come back to me or the sergeant asks me to stop. Maddog
September 3rd, 2009 - 2:31 pm
Yeah, I knew you couldn’t overnight a letter to an APO/FPO. As for “Priority Mail,” I don’t understand that, since the Flat Rate Boxes designed specifically for the military packages ARE priority mail. I’m like you, I send letters/cards until I get one back marked “Return to Sender.” Only then do I remove the Warrior from my Support Rolodex. I sincerely hope they get my cards. I hate the thought that they are feeling so down.
September 4th, 2009 - 5:47 am
Keep up the good work Angel!
September 12th, 2009 - 1:49 pm
Maddog says Charles Keralt (sp?) on CBS Sunday morning show, had a lady on who lost her the same day the “celebrity” died, from what I don’t care in the least. This lady’s heartfelt bewilderment and confusion (while she teary-eyed held her son’s folded flag in her lap) over the worship of a civilian and the total disregard by the media, and yes, Americans in general, for the numerous Warriors who sacrificed their lives that day, and EACH DAY THEREAFTER! I’m with the lady, and I totally applaude Charles Keralt (sp?) and CBS for airing that segment! I truely needed to be said, and thank you, Tracy, for the Fallen Heroes Since, etc. That too needs to be said, and you’re doing it! Kudus!! J.Steve/Maddog
September 12th, 2009 - 1:52 pm
*that truely needed to be said, etc.
J.Steve/Maddog